Wall Street week ahead: monthly jobs report, McDonald’s and SpaceX earnings

Specialist Dilip Patel works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, July 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York (AP) — Corporate earnings from big U.S. companies and closely-watched jobs reports are among the key updates for Wall Street this week.The latest batch of profit updates and forecasts could help give investors a clearer picture of how and where households are spending money amid stubbornly high inflation.Bleach and household products maker Clorox and hotel operator Marriott International report their latest results on Monday. Elon Musk’s satellite, rocket and AI company SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies, releases its earnings on Tuesday. The company made its market debut in June, and the stock has since surged well above and then fallen below its opening price.McDonald’s also reports earnings on Tuesday, and online travel company Expedia Group reports earnings on Wednesday.More than half of companies within the S&P 500 have reported their latest results, and profit growth has been strong. Major indexes have been setting records throughout the year, and the latest round of profits could be used as a gauge for whether those rising stock values are justified. Wall Street also has several economic reports to review this week, including key updates on the jobs market in the U.S.On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its report on job openings for June. The most important update comes on Friday, with the release of the monthly employment report for July. 3 MIN READ 2 MIN READ 1 MIN READ Employment is one of the stronger areas of the U.S. economy. But job growth has been slowing amid broader concerns about inflation hurting households and businesses. It is also a key focus for the Federal Reserve as the central bank reviews and determines any changes to its interest rate policy.